Doula

This was a pleasure to watch, it was funny & smart and yet beautiful. What a cool film. Just what women need now : an unapologetic witty character that teaches importance on body autonomy via her birth plan & how to stay wild through it all.

Thought it was gonna be goofy in a non serious way but it was goofy in a serious way. It's believable and I really got into. Placed my cellphone down liked it. Terrific acting everyone was into it. Some famous actors too. Captain Kirk had a hairy cameo which was really the only time I was transported out of the film because I recognized him but still was funny bit.

I was worried I'd come across a "granola" take on pregnancy, culminating in the glorification of home births. It was anything but. Doula is an intelligent film. The characters are real in their depth of feeling, and Troian Bellisario is a tour de force, occupying the screen in a raw, tender, and relatable way. How do you deal with all the pressure coming your way when you are pregnant? How do you ensure your partner feels involved while maintaining your autonomy of decision? How do you sort through all that advice when you're the only one who is pregnant and risking your life to give birth? As someone trained in public/reproductive health, I can tell the Doula team did its research, and the conclusion is spot on! This is not your mainstream Hollywood depiction of pregnancy and childbirth. With reproductive rights being eroded at lightning speed, Doula is timely. I highly recommend it!

I am confused why so many people have literally panned this film. Look, it is a film about a woman giving birth and a man who helps her through it. If you think having a baby should be without cursing, sex, masturbation, and basically strictly one way or another you won't enjoy this film. If you are looking for a funny, touching take on real life and a peek into one woman's experience you will really enjoy it. If you don't like women and men to have depth you should probably avoid it. I loved how the Doula continually shares and advocates for absolute agency for women giving birth. It is HER experience and each one is unique. This film really underscored that and it was a joy to behold! Acting was great. I loved all the leads and it was refreshing to see lots of new faces. I gave it nine because occasionally it was a bit corny rather than emotional but overall I loved this film!

This was so painful to get through that I seriously considered not finishing it. Giving it 2 stars only because technically there is nothing wrong with the movie. Creatively, on the other hand, this is one big disaster. Horrible performances, extremely annoying characters and script that tries so hard to be funny all make this project one big waste of your time. There are so many scenes that I wish were just cut and left on the cutting floor or never even made it past the first draft. Sorry, wish I could say anything nicer. This was just very uncomfortable to watch and made little to no sense throughout.